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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27961904">Among the Stars</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oddaudrey/pseuds/Oddaudrey'>Oddaudrey</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dungeons &amp; Dragons (Roleplaying Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 10:23:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,323</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27961904</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oddaudrey/pseuds/Oddaudrey</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A new origin story for a new Alcor!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Among the Stars</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Underdark was a dreadful place. </p><p>Alcor was born there as every Drow Elf was, but he never quite got accustomed to life there. Their society was inherently cruel, an ancient war had made them that way. What Alcor couldn’t understand is why the Drow never decided to take the horror of their lineage and work to better themselves, to try to see the light in the dark. </p><p>Then again, Alcor was part of the very few privileged to see natural light of any sort. </p><p>He came from a family of Cartographers, a noble family that made maps of the upside world for Drows best plan out their underground territories. His family also made maps of the stars, their best source of planetary alignment and time-telling. </p><p>That was Alcor’s favorite part of those travels, getting to gaze upon the beautiful night sky. </p><p>His family had been named appropriately for their positions. </p><p>His father, Dubhe, was a serious man. He valued his title and status above all else, so much so that he deliberately married Alcor's mother to gain such status. He was quite tall for a Drow elf, and unlike the rest of his family, his skin was far more gray than purple. He hated the surface elves despite the fact that he never got to know any of them. He was stern and incredibly cold, his favoritism towards certain children was not lost on Alcor or any of his siblings. </p><p>His mother, Merak, was a priestess dedicated to the Spider Goddess. She needed everyone to be orderly and professional at all times, even at home. Alcor was the only one of his siblings to inherit her bright white freckles, although hers were across her shoulders and she often covered them up. Alcor couldn’t exactly do the same. She sewed everyone’s clothes, dawning them with star patterns as a sort of declaration of their family legacy. </p><p>Alcor was the youngest of six siblings. </p><p>Alioth was the oldest. He was rather stoic and hard to hold small-chat with, but he was reliable when it came to being in trouble. He offered security and safety should things ever be scary, Alcor often looked to him for protection from others.</p><p>Alkaid was the second oldest. She was very much the perfect image of their mother. She often fretted over the affairs of all of the siblings and always insisted upon being presentable even when no one was looking. She was intent on becoming a priestess as well. </p><p>Phecda was universally the middle child. Like Alcor, she often had trouble fitting in, specifically in regards to their family, but was far more vocal about it than Alcor was. Their parents went to lengths to correct her behavior, but she still snuck out on her own more than once. She trusted Alcor to keep her secret for her. </p><p>Megrez was shy and never spoke up much outside of family, but was incredibly obedient. She along with Alcor were in charge of painting the illustrations of the maps they made. She would draw Alcor’s every request, whether it be constellations or little sea monsters in the ocean.</p><p>Mizar was actually Alcor’s twin. Mizar was older by a good few hours, but everyone acted as if he was older than Alcor by years. He was passionate about fighting and routinely sparred with other Drow warriors. He was physically very strong and showed lots of promise, that’s what father always said.</p><p>Then there was Alcor, the youngest and smallest of them all. His face and body were littered with white freckles that resembled stars. Perhaps that was why Alcor loved the night sky so much, he felt more at home looking up at the stars as opposed to his home underground. </p><p>Once he left the surface and returned to his ‘home’, the feelings of unwelcomeness immediately followed. </p><p>Alcor was not a gifted fighter, in fact, he didn’t want to fight at all. He wasn’t interested in offensive wizardry, not even in preserving his family’s rank. If it were up to him, he’d travel and see every inch of the night sky, maybe even help people. </p><p>He had tried sharing his ideas with the other Drow elves, but they rejected him severely. </p><p>Alcor overheard his parents discussing it. </p><p>“There’s something wrong with that child. I’ve tried my best to meld him into a good Drow, but nothing has worked. I haven’t done anything different with him than with the other kids.” Dubhe erratically ranted. “We always planned on having five kids, Lolth <i>herself</i> predicted we would have five kids! That child is a curse upon our family. He’s a surface elf born to our family by mistake.”</p><p>“You must not let your personal grudge against your own child bring shame to this family. Lolth does not look highly upon Drows who do not appreciate her gifts. Just because you do not understand Alcor does not mean he is wrong.” Merak advised. “The ritual is almost upon us. Quell your mind, I will be back with news of the sacrifice.”</p><p>Alcor distracted himself with the personal copies of the star maps he had created. With his finger, he traced the constellation in which his family was named after. All of his family was accounted for, and the faintest star next to Mizar in the handle of the dipper…was Alcor. </p><p>Alcor. The forgotten one. The neglected one. </p><p>So closely knit to the grand constellation and yet never quite fitting into the big picture. </p><p>It was the story of his life. </p><p>As the family later gathered for dinner, the lack of their mother became apparent. She should have returned earlier, and yet the table was all set and there was one empty seat. All were afraid to start their meal without knowing what caused this usually timely woman to run so late. </p><p>Eventually, Merak returned, tears streaming down her face, her clothes disheveled. She collapsed onto the floor. Alkaid rushed to her side. </p><p>“Mother, what’s wrong?” She begged. </p><p>Merak could barely form words in-between her sobs. </p><p>“Lolth is demanding Mizar be her sacrifice.” </p><p><i>“WHAT?”</i> Dubhe bellowed, throwing his fist onto the table in anger. </p><p>All of the siblings were exchanging confused and concerned glances. Alcor looked into the eyes of his twin brother and saw fear. He didn’t think twice before pulling Mizar into a tight hug and not letting him go, even as their father resorted to denial and gambling. </p><p>“There has to be some mistake.” </p><p>“Lolth is never mistaken! She spoke to me herself, she wants Mizar!” </p><p>“She’ll have to take someone else!”</p><p>“Don’t say that!” </p><p>“I won’t have this!” </p><p>Dubhe stormed out of the house, leaving his wife to sob on the floor. Alioth and Alkaid both helped their mother to stand up and took her to her room.</p><p>“I can’t believe it. Lolth doesn’t usually demand noble sacrifices.” Phecda breathily spoke, still in a state of disbelief. “What did we do wrong?”</p><p>“We didn’t do anything wrong. Sometimes these things just…Happen.” Megrez tried to rationalize what was happening. </p><p>All the while, Alcor held his brother tightly before receiving a pat on the shoulder. “Alcor, you can let me go.” Mizar requested. “Drow elves can never go against the wishes of Lolth.” </p><p>Why though? Lolth was cruel and fed into the negative emotions of the Draw elves, keeping them in a perpetual state of anger and disdain towards themselves and those different from them. She lived off of the fear of her denizens and viewed love and softness as weak. Yet she did not demand Alcor as a sacrifice, no, instead she planned to take his father’s golden child to punish him for being unfaithful to her. </p><p>It didn’t seem right at all, but there was no one Alcor could pray to for help…</p><p>Father came home the next morning, his brow drenched in sweat, and he demanded the family gather in the living room. The atmosphere was tense, and Alcor felt a deep sense of dread come over him. The somber look on his father’s face was unlike him, it must have masked some other sort of emotion. </p><p>“I gained permission from Lolth to spare Mizar’s life…” Dubhe said, which caused the family to let out a huge sigh of relief, but there was something more to be said. </p><p>“In his place, Alcor will serve as her sacrifice.” </p><p>Now all eyes were on him, but he couldn’t bear to look at anyone. He stared down at his hands in his lap, listening to the questions and discussions that had erupted. </p><p>“The goddess has never revoked a calling before.” </p><p>“Who would you rather lose? A boy who shows promise or a useless child!”</p><p>“Dad!” </p><p>Enough is enough.<br/>
“I don’t want anyone to get into trouble. I’ll do it.” Alcor resigned. </p><p>“By doing this, you are finally bringing respect to this family.” His father said, leaning down to look at him directly in the eyes, finally seeing him as an equal. “I am proud of you for this.” </p><p>What was he supposed to say? You’re welcome? Thank you?</p><p>He could only bring his family honor through death, such is the way of the Drow. </p><p>Submitting to ritualistic sacrifice, dying in battle, losing one’s life in needlessly tragic ways. That was perhaps what Alcor disliked the most about his people, the complete disregard towards how important life is.</p><p>Alcor had been forced to watch many sacrifices before, but he never once thought about the progress of how these rituals would be prepared, not until it was he who would be devoured by the Spider Goddess. </p><p>He was attended to by the many priestesses of Lolth. His mother requested he still be able to wear the clothes she had made for him under the thick dark purple cloak that was common for most sacrifices to wear. </p><p>His hair was in shambles, he hadn’t had the energy to make it presentable in the slightest, not even while knowing this his death would be public. </p><p>He looked into the mirror he sat in front of as the priestesses applied aesthetic cosmetics, some loose attempt insisted by his mother to show that he was above the lowlifes that were usually sacrificed. </p><p>“Perhaps the reason you had such trouble finding your place here is because you were destined for this.” His mother mused. “I’m sure Lolth will guide your soul to a good place.”</p><p>It was cultish, the rationality many Drows searched for in regards of their malevolent goddess. She had offered them a vacuum to vent their hurt over what happened to their people and in turn, they adopted a sort of apathetic mentality as Lolth promoted any good nature as ‘weak’. </p><p>What she was saying was true, there was no place for him in the Underdark. </p><p>Merak and the other priestesses left. There was only a sliver of time after he finished getting ready that he would be whisked away to the altar. He had already said his brief goodbyes to his family, his father treated his departure as if he were leaving for war while his siblings at least offered well-wishes and even hugs. </p><p>To his surprise, Mizar had entered the room. </p><p>“Would you like some help with your hair?” He asked, leaning against the wall with a hairbrush in hand. </p><p>“That would be nice.” Alcor subtly consented, allowing Mizar to come up behind him and start brushing through his hair. Alcor looked into the mirror and saw the sad smile on Mizar’s face slowly turn into a grimace as he tried to hold back tears. </p><p>It quickly became too much and Mizar pressed his forehead against the back of Alcor’s head and sobbed.</p><p>“Mizar, it’s alright.” Alcor turned to comfort. </p><p>“No, it’s not.” Mizar snapped. “It should’ve been me.”</p><p>“Don’t say that. You deserve to live a long and fulfilling life. I’m happy I can save you from dying today.” Alcor told him. </p><p>“We’re twins. We should die together.” Mizar continued, the tears welling in his eyes poured down his cheeks.</p><p>“Mizar, no.”</p><p>Alcor turned around in his chair and grabbed onto his brother’s hands. Mizar dropped the hairbrush and pulled Alcor into a tight embrace. </p><p>“It’s not fair. They’ve never treated you right and now they’re making you do this…” Mizar cried into Alcor’s shoulder. “and you’re comforting me. I can’t do anything to help you.”</p><p>“You could fix my hair?” Alcor offered, swiping away a stray strand of hair that inevitably fell back in front of his face. This was enough to make both boys chuckle.</p><p>Mizar picked up his brush and started once again. Now that all of the bad emotions had aired out, the two engaged in casual conversation. </p><p>“How is everyone?” Alcor asked. </p><p>“Once you left, everyone just fell apart. Alioth disappeared into his room and punched a hole in the wall. Megrez locked herself away in her room too. Alkaid and Phecda were both  trying to make sense of it all and thought something seemed wrong…Father has been quiet.” Mizar explained. “I also believe something might be amiss.”</p><p>“Even so, there are not many who would advocate for my sparing. Perhaps the misfortune I’ve brought to our family will end will me.” Alcor replied. </p><p>“It is not weak to be kind, no matter what everyone says. It’s your kindness that prevented me from being manipulated by Lulth’s dogma as the elders are. If there were more people like you, the Underdark could’ve made strides towards becoming a better place.” Mizar ranted. “You deserve so much better than this, Alcor.” </p><p>“Thank you.” Alcor said, a small smile gracing his face for the first time that day. </p><p>Mizar finished Alcor’s, creating a beautiful braid that he moved to fall over Alcor’s left shoulder. </p><p>“How does it look?” </p><p>“It’s lovely.” </p><p>Strangely enough, it felt better. He felt more like himself.</p><p>He didn’t have much time left to talk to his brother before the high priestess entered. She gave Mizar a glare that told him it was time to leave, and Mizar reluctantly did so. In her hand she held a vile purple liquid, she gave it to him. </p><p>“Because of your noble status, you are privileged to take this before your sacrifice.” The High Priestess said. “It’s a sleeping draught. It’ll ensure that you won’t feel pain as you are devoured.”</p><p>It truly was a luxury that not many had. Alcor had seen the pain the lower-status sacrifices had gone through, it seemed unfair that he spare himself that while they couldn’t. But, Alcor also didn’t want his family to see him in such a degrading state. </p><p>He drank the liquid in one swig and allowed himself to slip into drugged oblivion, not even reflecting on the fact that once he was asleep he would never wake up.</p><p>…</p><p>Dubhe lied. </p><p>He lied about Lolth demanding Alcor’s sacrifice in place of Mizar’s. </p><p>The priestesses had allowed him to speak to Lolth through prayer, and she herself told him that her decisions were law. But when he left her temple he told the Priestesses otherwise. </p><p>He couldn’t accept it. </p><p>Mizar was a gifted fighter and was destined to find a place in the high rankings of the Drow army. Alcor was an outsider at birth. </p><p>In Dubhe’s mind he was rationalizing sacrificing one child for another he liked more. It was objectively better for Drow society that a capable warrior such as Mizar lived and that someone soft like Alcor didn’t. It was for the good of everyone, not just himself.</p><p>But as the priestesses carried Alcor’s body on a decorated platform, his arms folded in repose, his solemn expression deep in sleep…Dubhe felt he had done something wrong. </p><p>They placed Alcor on Lolth’s altar and backed away. Everyone who gathered was waiting for Lolth to appear. Dubhe’s heart was pounding rapidly in his chest, a million different things could happen at this moment and he feared Lolth’s wrath for disobeying her. </p><p>The great spider goddess descended from her otherworldly throne, her wiry legs clinging to the alter as she lowered her head to gaze upon her victim. She seemed perturbed, as she would normally devour her sacrifices almost immediately. After a moment of contemplation, she decided to eat Alcor’s soul. She dug her pincers into his still chest and with her godly might, pulled his soul from out his body. </p><p>Alcor’s soul was bright, almost blinding.</p><p>Then, Lolth unexpectedly screeched. A flashing bright light rendered everyone sightless. It was as if another divine being had intervened. Once sight was returned, everyone could see how Lolth pressed her body up against the altar now covered with her webs. Her angry expression terrified everyone, even more so when she let out a scream and tore the altar apart, throwing pieces of it into the crowd. </p><p>“You all have defied me! You will need sacrifices tenfold to regain my favor! Damn you all!” She raved angrily. </p><p>Perhaps what was worse than invoking Lolth deadly wrath was the look on Mizar’s face. He looked at his father with an expression of disgust he had never seen before. Even as Dubhe was trying to rally up his family to protect them, Mizar had willingly disappeared into the crowd. </p><p>…</p><p>Alcor awoke in a realm unlike no other. He was fully immersed in the night sky itself, except every star was small enough to fit into the palm of his hand. If this was Alcor’s afterlife, then he was content staying here. </p><p>“Alcor Polaris.” A voice spoke to him. </p><p>He looked around,  searching for the source of the voice. </p><p>A portion of the night sky unfolded itself, starry butterfly wings unwrapped to reveal a beautiful elven woman. Her wings resembled the stars themselves. She was the opposite of Lolth. While the spider was cruel and conniving, this butterfly seemed kind and benevolent. </p><p>“Your undaunted compassion even in death has inspired me to grant you a new existence, free of the pain Lolth caused you. I am Desna, goddess of dreams.” She spoke. “Lolth has caused a tear in your soul, but she could not destroy you. I can reconnect you with your body, however, you must be wary. If you are not careful, your soul could slip away and be irretrievable. You are a living spirit now.” </p><p>“What can I do to repay you for saving me?” Alcor asked. </p><p>“I want you to spread that goodness you’ve held in your heart with the rest of the world.” Desna requested. “Do this, and perhaps you may be able to help the Drows who have lost their way.” </p><p>Everything around him began to change, grow blurrier and muffled, like waking up from a long dream. </p><p>“I will speak to you in your dreams. If you ever need to find me otherwise, just pray to the North Star.” Desna said. “May good luck and fortune be with you, Alcor.” </p><p>And then he woke up.</p><p>He was in a sort of observatory that also a temple. While he retested on an altar that was decorated with flowers and dimly lit candles, the rest of the room was dome-shaped with an opening in the roof and a humble telescope that would enable Desna’s followers to gaze up at the stars. </p><p>It must have been Desna’s followers or Desna herself that brought him here. </p><p>He felt different, more do than he did before. While in the past he was an elf that did not follow the Drow lifestyle, now he hardly felt like an elf at all anymore. Perhaps he wasn’t anymore. This body of his and loosely attached soul would take some getting used to. </p><p>He was free to roam the surface, free from his family that he could never tell he’s alive, free from the cult-like mentality of the Drows…Now, gifted by the goddess of the stars herself, Alcor was free to appreciate the night sky whenever he wished, and that was the greatest gift he was ever given.</p>
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